Werebeasties

The door burst open.

“Speaking of the devil,” Calvin drawled.

“You’re a fucking idiot.” David stepped in and slammed the door. “If I hadn’t let you out through the window, how were we going to explain you going all furry in front of her?”

Calvin shrugged. “Maybe she likes big cats. Women dig cats. Many have told me I’m adorable.”

“Right. Rottweilers are also cute and cuddly.”

“When did you get here, anyway? I didn’t hear any car,” David asked.

“Course you didn’t. I drove from the airport and my rented car broke down just four miles from here. So I leisurely walked,” Calvin said.

“In broad daylight? What if someone saw you?”

“They will think I’m a stray cat. That’s all.”

“A six-hundred-pound black cat. Yeah, they’re going to buy it.”

“I didn’t see anyone, okay. So tell me how sweet Ms Knight is doing?” Calvin sank into a couch.

“She’s mine today and tonight.”

“I thought it was my turn.”

“As far as I was concerned, you weren’t even here yet.” Adam leaned against the bookcase. “Besides, I’m going to take her shopping. We have a charity gala tomorrow night, remember? I don’t think she has a decent dress.”

Calvin groaned miserably. “Gala? Do we have to come?”

“Apparently, we have to. Since I’ve been living here exclusively, Lily Huntington thinks I’m rude that I keep denying her invitations.”

Lily Huntington was a grand dame of Aspen socialites, and for the past few months she had been hounding his ass into attending her stupid social events. Lily knew he was single and a very eligible bachelor, and she couldn’t stop playing matchmaker for the elite singles in her inner circle.

“Does Samantha like parties?” David asked thoughtfully.

“Women her age usually like parties.” Adam scratched his chin. “She didn’t attend many due to her hardship, I believe.”

“She doesn’t even like wine. I wonder if the party is going to be torture for her.”

“Who knows, it might be fun for her. If she’s going to be our woman, she’ll have to get used to this sort of stuff,” Calvin said.

Our woman. Adam knitted his brows. Or mate… Between the three of them, they’d shared women in bed. Of course, the passion never left the sheets and the sex was a mere casual encounter. This time was different—his lion was acting so territorially towards Samantha. Adam was sure that David and Calvin’s inner beasts were the same too.

Adam gave a nonchalant shrug. “Who knows, she might like it. I think I’d better tell her to get ready. I’ll take her out after breakfast.”

David turned to Calvin sharply. “And you—I expect you to behave.”

Calvin snorted. “This from a guy who got hit by a flying TV?”

Chapter Four

She couldn’t believe Adam was taking her out shopping. He also wanted her to attend gala for rich people. She tried to shy away from the social event because she was sure she wouldn’t fit in. She’d stick out marvellously. And attending a party wasn’t in her contract; she had checked it twice. Adam squished her argument by reminding her that she had to be willing to perform anything the three of them asked. She lost. Adam won. As Adam drove her into the Aspen shopping district, she wondered if he had made a mistake. One couldn’t just take white trash and dress her with fancy stuff and pass her as a high-class socialite. It would show.

Samantha decided if Adam wanted to make a fool of himself, she didn’t really have a say in it. She might as well just go along. He was her boss.

As she was trying on new gowns, the whole shopping trip turned out to be not so bad at all. It actually started to feel fun. In one designer boutique, Adam stayed patiently in the private waiting area. She then paraded herself to see if Adam liked it. And good gracious, that man was more finicky than a cranky bridezilla. None of the gowns pleased him.

Samantha pulled up the zipper of a classic-cut, long black dress, staring at her reflection in the private dressing room mirror. The dress fitted perfectly on her curvy figure and it cost a year of her salary in the factory. She smoothed the crease on the bodice, halting her breath as she opened the dressing room door. She hoped that Adam would like the gown this time.